I would recommend not reading this review until you've completed the game, since any spoilers would significantly worsen your experience of this game.
So, Bastion, it's my Game of the Year 2011, for many reasons. If I had to classify Bastion in a genre, it would be an ARPG, but it is far more than that, it is a story-driven ARPG, with a wonderful art style, and a wonderful gimmick (it IS a gimmick), of a narrator who sounds like Frank Zappa, telling the story of the game's protagonist, the Kid. A summary of the start of the story, would be this: The Kid wakes up, to find his world completely changed by an unknown disaster called the Calamity, he then sets off to find out more of what's happened to the world, with the Narrator as a surrogate voice for the silent Kid.
While a lot of the story can be found out just by going through the main levels, more information on the nature of the world, and of the Calamity, can be found by picking up items in the world, and talking to other characters about them. Yet more information can be gained by playing the dreams that make up a realm known as "Who Knows Where", which gives background information on the kid and other characters.
Another key part of the game is it's beautiful soundtrack, which I wouldn't recommend listening to until the game is completed, due to potential spoilers in the titles of the songs. Full credit goes to the composer, Darren Korb, for probably the best soundtrack I've ever heard in a game. The game has a very involving story, especially in the later chapters, which I won't talk about, since the player should experience them without any pre-existing knowledge about them.
The game is also very well written, with some of the best dialogue since Red Dead Redemption. The main story is not the only part of the game, however, other things for the player to do include the optional trips to "Who Knows Where" and other challenges.
The weapons are very satisfying to use, as they should be in an ARPG, and there are many different combinations of weapons to use, with everything from a longbow to dueling pistols. There are other items which affect your character too, idols, which make the game more difficult, and spirits which make the game easier.
All in all, it is a very good game, and while not in my all time favourite games, it should be played. The best game for 13.99 euros ever, and Game of the Year for me.
Wonderful, you owe it to yourself to play it.